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1 in custody after gunman reported on USF's campus

TAMPA -- The University of South Florida was locked down for a time Monday after someone reported a man with a gun and a bomb near the library, and police had one person in custody.

No one reported shots being fired or injuries. Students were told to return to their normal routine about three hours later.

Vincent Thomas-Perry McCoy, 23, a USF student, was arrested and charged with making a false report. The Tampa Police Department's bomb squad examined his backpack and determined it was safe, police said. He had no weapons on him and was cooperative, USF Police Lt. Meg Ross said.

McCoy was being held on $7,500 bond. He did not yet have an attorney.

A second person who was reportedly carrying a knife on campus was detained, but police said they believe it was unrelated.

The first call came in at 1:36 p.m. to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which transferred it to campus police.

A siren interrupted classes. An announcement over a loud speaker said there was an intruder and students should stay inside and lock their doors, said Amanda Barnes, an 18-year-old international studies major.

Administrators also sent several text messages to students.

"A lot of people were like, 'OK. I'm going to go up to my room, and no big deal,"' Barnes said. "A couple of people were like, 'Oh my God. I'm so scared."'

Student Hannah Quill told the St. Petersburg Times what she saw and heard.

"It sounded like one of those tornado alarms up north," she said. "Everyone is like in classrooms on lockdown. I saw quite a few police cars heading towards the front of campus."

At about 3:30 p.m., police also reported a man wearing a black tank top and cowboy hat, carrying a black puppy and a large hunting knife on campus. Ross said the man was being questioned, but it didn't seem related to the earlier report of a man carrying a gun and a bomb.

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Associated Press writers Michael Schneider in Orlando and Tamara Lush in Miami contributed to this report.